Chapter 3 His Last Wish

"Fulfill his last wish, Alexander." Brian looked straight into his eyes. "He wants you to get married." "What do you mean by getting married?" Alexander's eyes widened in shock. Meanwhile, Brian gave a small, empathetic smile. "I know it's not easy for you. But fulfilling this wish means a lot to your grandfather. He wants you to be happy and settled." "I'm already happy and settled," Alexander mumbled, remembering a glimpse of the face with whom he had dreamt of marrying, years ago. "Alexander, just this time. Give in!" William exclaimed. Alexander's eyes were blazing with fire after hearing his father's intermediation. Their relationship had been strained for years, and seeing his father there was already fuming him. Moreover, he was telling him what to do and what not. Perhaps, it was the last thing that he wanted to hear right then. "Why are you even here, Dad?" Alexander's jaw tightened, his hands clenched into fists. "You haven't cared about me for years. Now all of a sudden you showed up and started telling me what to do with my life?" After listening to those words, William's face softened for a moment. There was a certain kind of vulnerability that crossed his eyes. "I'm here because the man who is on his deathbed is my father. He's dying. Just this once, Alexander. Can you put the differences between us aside and do this for him?" Alexander's body was fuming with anger. But he couldn't ignore his father's words as well. "Anything else?" Alexander turned out towards Brian who was already looking at him. "For now, we need to make sure that he is happy. It's important not to stress him and fulfill his last wishes. Whatever he wants, we should try to make it happen." Afterwards, Brian placed a reassuring hand on Alexander's shoulder. "I'll do whatever he wants, within reason." William was about to open his mouth but after seeing Alexander's sharp gaze, he simply nodded. "That's all I can ask." Once Alexander left the cabin, the weight of the news and his father's unexpected appearance settled heavily on his chest. He strode through the corridor with purpose. The conversation between his father and doctor was still echoing in his mind. In no time, he found himself standing outside his father's ward. Inside, his grandfather was lying motionless, hooked up to various monitors. It was a heartbreaking sight for Alexander as time was slipping away. Frustratedly, he raked his fingers through his hair. That was when he saw another scene unfolding in front of him. Nothing today. He shook his head dismissively. Mark Johansson, CEO of Johansson Limited was standing next to his daughter, Camilla. As Alexander was about to turn away, Mark caught his sight. His expression brightened with recognition. "Mr. Wilson," he greeted warmly and extended his hand in Alexander's direction. Alexander nodded curtly. Then he shook Mark's hand briefly. "Mr. Johansson." His demeanor was cold and distant. Seeing that, a smile vanished from Mark's face but he persisted, "I wanted to talk to you about something important." His eyes instantly moved towards Camilla who was studying Alexander intently. Camilla had debuted for her first movie six months back. As the movie clashed with Scarlett, Camilla's debut didn't garner much attention. Undoubtedly she had a calculated innocence. She stepped forward. Her voice was sweet but filled with ambition. "It's such an honor to finally meet you, Mr Wilson," she said. Her gaze was lingering with an indescribable interest. "I've heard a lot about you." Alexander took a deep breath and replied coolly, "I also heard that your debut didn't match the expectations of the industry." His voice was cold and firm. Instantly, Mark cleared his throat and tried to steer the conversation back on track. "Mr. Wilson, Johansson Entertainment is expanding so we're thinking about collaboration with..." Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Collaboration with?" "With Wilson Group." Mark finally revealed his intentions. Meanwhile, Alexander couldn't shake the feeling that Camilla had some hidden interest towards him. Her eyes were lingering on him for a little long. There was a hint of a calculated smile on her face. After giving it a long thought, Alexander mumbled, "Send your proposal to the company, Mr. Johansson. I don't make business decisions, standing in the hospital corridors." Colors on Mark's face faded away. While saving the little dignity which he was holding, he extended an invitation towards Alexander. "Next month, Johansson Limited is celebrating its annual function. We'll be honored if you'll grace the event yourself." Alexander hesitated, weighing his options. "I'll consider it," Alexander replied, then his gaze shifted back to his grandfather's room. "For now, I have some other priorities." Mark nodded his head dismissively. "Of course, family comes first." Then Camilla stepped forward and smiled. "I hope we'll see you there, Mr. Wilson." On the other hand, Scarlett finally managed to find her way to her grandmother's room, but just as she was about to enter, a firm hand grabbed her arm. "What do you think you're doing?" The voice brought an unknown turbulence to Scarlett's heart. It was Alexander again. His expression was indescribable. "Please let me see her," Scarlett begged, tears welling at the edge of her orbs. Alexander's grip tightened. "You don't understand, do you? This isn't a place for you to test your acting skills." "I'm not acting. She is my only family," Scarlett reasoned. Alexander's eyes softened for a brief moment, but then hardness returned. "Family, do you think that you're only here with a family? Even my grandfather is on his deathbed. Have you seen me breaking rules and creating chaos?" "Then you understand," Scarlett cried, "How does it feel to be helpless?" She was right. When Dr. Evans told him that his grandfather didn't have much time left, his heart shattered. But he refused to let that happen. While thinking about that, Alexander's jaw tightened, "Helpless? No. I never feel helpless. I take control. Something you should learn to do.” It was the last string that Scarlett was holding. She lost control and yelled in a low tone, "You think that you’re so perfect, don’t you? You just have money and power. But you’re a coward. Somebody who is hiding his real self behind rules and regulations." Alexander bit his lower lip in frustration. It was the first time somebody had talked to him in that tone. "You have no idea about what you're talking about," Alexander mumbled in a dangerously low tone. "Maybe not. But I'm not going to play puppet for you," Scarlett shot back. At that same time, Lucas entered. "Adrian will be here in the next five minutes." After listening to Adrian's name, Scarlett lowered her head and sighed. Before Alexander could respond, a nurse rushed over. "Mr. Wilson, Dr. Evans called you. It's urgent." Then Alexander released Scarlett's arm, ready to leave. "This isn't over." His voice held a dangerous promise. She didn't know what to make from his words but one thing was clear. Their paths were now irrevocably intertwined. "Mr. Wilson," Scarlett started, suddenly somebody pushed her forward. Due to the sudden movement, she lost her balance and was about to kiss the ground. But she felt a strong and soft touch around her waist. Her eyes instantly opened alarmingly. The only words that came out of her mouth were, "Leave Me."